All characters in Voltron belong to WEP and Toei Animation Co. However, the story depicted here is based loosely on the animated series, but with some dramatic changes due to my longing to change most of the plot of the original series. This story includes topics of the occult, terror, adult themes and language. (Too many horror movies can do that to you…) As my main language is not English critics are much appreciated. Enjoy…
Chapter 3: The Return to Doom
Prince Lotor headed back to his private chambers. More disturbing than his conversation with the emperor, the visions that he had been having during the night were too puzzling for him to understand. Once he was alone in his room and got undressed, he just threw himself on top of his bed looking at the ceiling.
What was happening to him? Did it have something to do with that gypsy pirate and his continuing intrusion of his thoughts? He just had to get some answers. He decided to look for some information about the Galliny'aans. Besides, his hopes of sleeping well were just fading anyway. So he went to his computer and searched into the empires extensive databases of all the empires civilizations, customs, religions and beyond. But what he discovered, left him more puzzled than before. He knew that white magic, black magic, curses and gods existed. He had no doubt about that. He had been taught about divinities and all their stories and interpretations all through out his life. Darn, he was royalty, he was supposed to know about all that or at least study about them at school.
He found out about the galliny'aans customs, lifestyles, practices, clothing, physical descriptions and beliefs. Their religious information was the part that impacted him the most. According to the information that he found, the galliny'aans could make curses that could not be broken specially if the gypsy pirate who had originally made the curse was deceased. The information also stated that when a person was cursed, that person would become an open door to the spiritual realm. Depending of which door was opened the person would be in constant pain and misery that could reflect in everything they experienced through the course of their lives. That didn't make him too happy. But the truth was that he still wasn't sure if he was cursed at all. How could he find out about this? He had no information about that gypsy pirate who was gazing at him while he was dead. Besides, his body was burned along with all of the others who had lost their lives in the battle of Bornahy'ar. It seemed like a dead end on itself. But that little information that he gained about the gypsies would have to do for now until he could find out a bit later.
Besides, in two weeks, his service with the empire would be over. He had to start thinking about his mental, physical, emotional and spiritual preparation to deal with his father. He would have to double up on his daily meditations and exercises just to gain internal peace in the middle of hell that was his home planet. Doom… the last time that he had been there, he was heading to the academy to start his military career that would help him one day be apt to gain his father's crown. He studied in the academy for five years and then he would serve the Empire for five years more before heading back to Doom. But somehow, his refusal to head back home had made him defer his return, time and time again until another five years had gone by. He just didn't want to see his father and he hated that witch Haggar who was…just…so damn creepy!! He couldn't imagine himself living and remembering sad experiences from his life again. His father had mistreated and humiliated him so much in his young life that the only times he had been happy were the times his father was not a part of his life. Having a father like King Zarkon seemed to be a horrible curse enough for him.
But well, if he was indeed cursed, only time could tell, besides, his eyes were beginning to close in front of the computer. So he turned it off and went back to bed. He was just so tired that he dozed off into a dreamless sleep.
Two weeks had gone by very fast. Prince Lotor still had those visions of weird naked drules or sometimes he would just see body parts floating in the air and shadows that would come and go while he was wide awake. Also, during those weeks the visions had been growing more detailed and frequent. But he still couldn't make out what those visions meant. And yes, the gypsy pirate would still show up, always in dark places gazing and mocking him. The gypsy had become like a dark shadow that would follow Prince Lotor everywhere he went. Sometimes Lotor would hear voices and footsteps in places where nobody was present. Other times he could still feel an invisible presence even if he was alone in his chambers and that darn chill would crawl upon his spine again. The most recent experience was that he heard someone knocking at his door as he entered his room, only to open the door again and find out that there was nobody there and the halls were completely empty of personnel. If it weren't for his continuing meditations and inner self control that he had acquired during his training in martial arts and the military service, he would've lost his mind a long time ago. But it still made him wonder if all of these supernatural experiences could get worse.
At first, he thought it was part of his wild imagination, that his eyes and ears were confusing him, that there were really people around him, but when he would ask Cossack if he had seen or heard something like he had just described, Cossack would deny ever seeing or hearing such a thing.
Now Cossack started wondering what was wrong with the prince. He had been noticing his prince growing more worried as the time for his departure was approaching. If the prince was nervous about anything, he was hiding it very well. Besides, as the day of his impending leave came closer, the prince doubled up his time with his meditations, which helped him maintain control of his fears and his emotions. The prince must be worried about going back to Doom. Fortunately, as Prince Lotor's commander, Cossack had also been released by the Drule empire to continue his service at the Doom Kingdom. So now, he could keep an eye on his young ruler. Prince Lotor was very happy about that, because he hardly had friends and he knew that Cossack had proven many times that he was fully trustworthy. He would need not just a soldier to follow blindly his orders but also a good trusting friend for when he got back to his father's dominion.
The day had come for their departure to Doom. They had packed everything and were boarding the ship for the long voyage back home. Many people came to say farewell to the prince and his commander. It was a pleasant surprise that they received many gifts from people who really appreciated them, including the emperor. They were sad to leave. But they just had to go.
Many days later, in Planet Doom, King Zarkon sat on his throne happy that his crown prince would be finally arriving sometime during the day. He had made official announcements of the awaited arrival to all of his court, nobles and even to his witch who stood at the feet of his throne and sometimes beside him. Besides, he needed a little bit of distraction because of his growing frustration reclaiming that wretched planet Arus and it's guardian robot Voltron. His commander Yurak, who was in charge of that mission, had proven to be such an incompetent failure. But after today, everything would change. His son would be in charge of that mission and reclaim Arus for him. He had been very proud of his son's achievements in the Drule Empire among other things that he would have to dwell later. These achievements acquired by his son were very well known because of the constant coverage by the empire's intergalactic news about Prince Lotor's constant triumphs over the empire's enemies. Besides, the young prince had been actively participating as a war tactician in all of the most difficult military tasks that the empire had encountered. That made him a great asset to the military forces of Doom, whose animosity had decayed too much because of the continuing failures to defeat Voltron.
As the imperial ship approached Planet Doom, the prince gazed through his chamber window as the dark planet grew bigger and bigger before him. His breathing got a little bit faster as he remembered the last day he was there. All he could remember was the fury, the hate, the pain, the screams and the anger of his last fight with his father. At that moment he swore to himself that he would leave and never be back to that infernal place. But he was just ten years old. Many things had happened and changed during this 15 years of absence. But something still remained the same…his hatred for his father. He suddenly wished he could order the ship to turn around and go back to where it came from.
Suddenly, a voice in his communicator spoke: "Your highness, we will be docking at the planet's hangar in about 30 minutes."
"Acknowledged." As soon as he said that, his head began to throb so while he touched his right temple, he retired from the window in order to get ready for the unavoidable landing and encounter with his past.
To be continued
